Terms and Conditions of Service – GVA Travel Solutions

Your access and use of www.govolunteerafrica.org are subject to the following terms and conditions and is an agreement between you (the individual) and GVA Travel Solutions -Smc Ltd. “GVA Travel”, “GVA Travel Solutions”, “Go Volunteer Africa” “GVA” , “us” , “we” , “our” refer to GVA Travel Solutions -Smc Ltd.

When you submit an online application for a GVA Travel Solutions -Smc Ltd. service, you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions listed below.

By applying to volunteer with GVA, you would agree to the following terms:

GVA Travel Solutions does not arrange flights or make any travel arrangements to your program location. It is your own responsibility to arrange your own air fares and travel to the program location. GVA Travel Solutions provides advise and pre departure information to you, it is your responsibility to obtain all necessary travel documents, such as visa, work permits etc.

You are responsible for ensuring your travel documents are complete and up to date for your travel. GVA Travel Solutions cannot accept the responsibility if entry is denied to a country due to incorrect visa or travel documents.

Travel Insurance:

Travel insurance is compulsory for all participants of GVA Travel Solutions. All participants need to buy full comprehensive medical insurance for their time of stay in our projects. It is your sole responsibility to purchase your own travel insurance.

Please ask us for details at info@govolunteerafrica.org for more details on how to buy Insurance from GVA Travel Solutions. The Insurance is provided by a third party vendor and GVA Travel Solutions-Smc Ltd. does not take any responsibility towards claims or disputes with the Insurance provider with the client. You can also buy insurance from your any other agent or company.

Refund Policy:

GVA Travel Solutions provides highly affordable services and our fees are the lowest in the market, as a result we do not provide a complete refund policy. Please read the details of application and program fee payments below.

Application Fee:

Application fee is refundable up to only 90 days before the program start date. Refund requests must be received ninety (90) days prior the program start date through written confirmation via email, fax or post. Upon receipt of the request the participant will be notified immediately via email. If the volunteer does not receive confirmation they should assume that the request has not been received.

The application fee amount of USD$175 would be refunded less the administration charges of USD$75 which would cover bank charges and currency conversion charges. If you change your program start date, then the date considered for refund purpose would be the earliest date indicated by you in your online application.

No refund would be provided if you apply for a program within ninety (90) days of program start date.

Under the rare instance where GVA Travel Solutions is not able to accept you in the program, we would be refunding you the application fee less $75 administration charges.

Program Fee:

You will find the complete program costs on each program page on the website. GVA Travel Solutions reserves the right to change the program fee anytime without any prior information. All program fee are due 30 days from your program start date, if you fail to make your program fee payment before this time GVA Travel Solutions has the right to cancel your program.

Cancellation of program by you:

GVA Travel Solutions needs to get cancellation requests at least 30 days before your program start date. GVA Travel Solutions incurs a lot of charges in order to provide suitable program to the client.

Our cancellation policy for all programs is:

If you cancel 60 days before your program start date – 70% refund of program fee (less $75 admin charges) – No Refund of Application Fee

If you cancel between 60 – 30 days before program start date – 50% refund of program fee (less $75 admin charges) – No Refund of Application Fee

If you cancel within 30 days of your program start date – No Refund of program fee – No Refund of Application Fee

Cancellation after program start date – No Refund of program fee – No Refund of Application Fee

Cancellation of program by GVA Travel Solutions:

In case GVA Travel Solutions has to cancel the your program due to certain operational reasons, GVA Travel Solutions will refund part of the remaining time period of the project fee calculated on a pro-rata basis excluding the application fee of US$150 and 7% (seven percent) bank charges.

If your program is cancelled by GVA Travel Solutions due to any uncertain natural calamities (for example – earthquake, floods, typhoon, cyclone, tsunami etc.) your Program & Application fee would not be refunded under such circumstances.

Payment of refunds:

GVA Travel Solutions will refund the applicable refund amount to the client within 30 (thirty) days of confirmation of cancellation.

GVA Travel Solutions would not provide any compensation whatsoever for any of it’s programs.

Online Payment:

GVA Travel Solutions adds a 4% international banking fee, which is charged at the time of online payment.

Program Change by you:

All program participants are allowed to make ONE change to their choice of program and dates applied for (at no extra charges) before their placement has been confirmed by GVA Travel Solutions. A charge of $50 is applicable for any subsequent change to the program from your side.

Use of Photos and Feedback:

By agreeing to the terms and conditions you agree that GVA Travel Solutions can use your photos and written feedback while at the project to post on its website www.govolunteerafrica.org. GVA Travel Solutions might use such material for marketing/promotion in form of brochure/emails/ or on its website and social media platforms. GVA Travel Solutions also uses photos and material from our partners and affiliations abroad and in Uganda and is not responsible for a claims arising towards that material/photos/content. This includes photos and videos posted on our Facebook page and other social media network sites.

Personal Risks:

The participant acknowledges and accepts the responsibilities and risks associated with their agreement to travel to, temporarily live in and provide volunteer services in a given country. Such travel and volunteer work can be often hazardous and involves a certain degree of risk, inherently dangerous activities and personal perils to the participant, both foreseen and unforeseen, all of which are fully accepted by and solely assumed by the participant. Therefore, GVA Travel Solutions including any and all of its employees, managers, directors, shareholders, host families and host country partner organizations are not liable, to the maximum extent of the law, for any loss or harm the volunteer or associates may suffer, including but not limited to loss caused by:

Personal injury

Accommodation

Transportation

Safety

Hygiene

Civil Unrest

Dangers associated with wild or other animals

Religious Activities

High Altitude

Food

Water

Emotional injury

Death

Illness or disease

War or Act of Terrorism

Damage to or loss of property

Accident or illness in remote regions without means of rapid evacuation or availability of medical supplies and facilities

Adequacy of medical attention once provided

You accept and acknowledge and confirm that personal injury or illness, emotional trauma, property damage and death can occur by natural causes or activities of persons or animals, either as a result of negligence or because of other reasons.

By applying for our programs online you confirm that you have read and agree to our terms & you are waiving of any Liability that, amongst other things:

Forever releases us, our owners, our directors, our shareholders, our employees and any persons or groups associated to us of all liability;

Forever signifies that you are waiving any claims against us, our owners,mour directors, our shareholders, our employees and any persons or groups associated to us, and expressly assuming all risks associated with participating in any of our programs.

Vaccinations and Health:

We may offer you a list of suggested immunizations and travel health tips based on such publicly available sources as the United States Center for Disease Control. However you understand that we are not medical professionals and have no medical expertise whatsoever. We strongly recommend all our participants that you visit a medical professional before your trip; however, it is your sole responsibility to arrange and determine any required immunizations and medical procedures that you may need before, during and after your time in the field with us. It is your sole responsibility to arrange and administer any vaccinations/immunizations required to be taken for travel to the country of your program.

Furthermore, you accept and acknowledge that we have no responsibility regarding the adequacy of any medical care, medical equipment, medical supplies and or any evacuation plan that may be provided to you before, during or after your program. You are solely responsible for your own welfare, and you accept and acknowledge any and all risks of personal injury or illness, emotional trauma, property damage and death that may occur as a result of you joining one of our programs.

‘GVA Travel Solutions’ is an Agent to provide programs:

You understand that ‘GVA Travel Solutions’ is an agent acting on behalf of suppliers, hereinafter “Local Partners/Local Coordinators” You accept, understand and acknowledge that we organize, promote and offer programs that offer accommodation, transportation, tours and other services provided by our Local Partners/Local Coordinators, which are independent and separate entities from GVA Travel Solutions, and over which we have no authority or oversight.

Some examples of Local Partners include but are not limited to hotels, restaurants, taxi drivers, tour guides and travel agencies, as well as the entities where you may volunteer in, for example local biological reserves, clinics and hospitals, nonprofits, local travel companies, local coordinators, staff of other local hosting companies and schools.

By applying for our programs online you confirm that you have read and agree to our terms & you are waiving us of any Liability that, amongst other things forever releases us, our owners, our directors, our shareholders, our employees and any persons or groups associated to us of all liability related to:

Any of our Local Partners´ negligent or willful acts, or failures to act including, without limitation, their partial or complete failure to deliver services to you; any personal injury or illness, emotional trauma, property damage or death which arises out of any service provided to you by our Local Partners;

Any error, misrepresentation or mistake, whether intentional or unintentional, made by any of our Local Partners/Local Coordinators, local staff members, travel companies etc.

Code of Conduct:

You agree that you would abide by the rules and regulations set out by our partner organizations in the home country. If we or our in-country partners find your behavior unsatisfactory due to drugs, alcohol, stress, abuse or a medical condition. Your program would be terminated under the following conditions:

If we find that you are engaged in any illegal activities or convicted of any criminal activities before or during the Project Period

If it is believed that any of your action or behavior is threatening or unacceptable to the society or anyone involved with the project based on the judgment of the project staff and/or the in country coordinator.

Any information provided by you to GVA Travel Solutions during the time of enrollment is incorrect.

You voluntarily decide to opt out of the program in between.

If you are found taking drugs or using such material while in the project.

If you are found to be engaged in sexual behavior while your stay in the host family.

If you do not observe the Code Of Conduct in your host country.

In case the agreement is terminated due to any of the above reasons or reasons relating to the above, you will not be entitled to any refund from GVA Travel Solutions.

GVA Travel Solutions has the right to cancel any placement of an enrolled volunteer before start date.

Disclaimer:

User expressly agrees that use of GVA Travel Solutions is at user’s sole risk. Neither GVA Travel Solutions, its affiliates nor any of their respective employees, agents, third party content providers or licensors warrant that GVA Travel Solutions will be uninterrupted or error free; nor do they make any warranty as to the results that may be obtained from use of GVA Travel Solutions, or as to the accuracy, reliability or content of any information, service, or merchandise provided through GVA Travel Solutions.

GVA Travel Solutions is provided on an “as is” basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including, but not limited to, warranties of title or implied warranties of merchant-ability or fitness for a particular purpose, other than those warranties which are implied by and incapable of exclusion, restriction or modification under the laws applicable to this agreement.

In no event will GVA Travel Solutions or any person or entity involved in creating, producing or distributing GVA Travel Solutions or the GVA Travel Solutions- Smc Ltd. software/content, be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages arising out of the use of or inability to use GVA Travel Solutions. User hereby acknowledges that the provisions of this section shall apply to all content on GVA Travel Solutions.

GVA Travel Solutions does not take any direct responsibly for the use of third party online payment facility. HF Bank / ECO Bank/ BOA Bank/ PAYPAL/ WU/RT/MG will not be responsible for any malfunction in their software for online payment. All disputes arising with Credit Card fraud will Directly be dealt with Bank or system used (Depending on the payment method you used for Payment).

In addition to the terms set forth above, neither GVA Travel Solutions, nor its affiliates, information providers or content partners shall be liable regardless of the cause or duration, for any errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or other defects in, or untimeliness or in-authenticity of, the information contained within GVA Travel Solutions, or for any delay or interruption in the transmission thereof to the user, or for any claims or losses arising therefrom or occasioned thereby. None of the foregoing parties shall be liable for any third-party claims or losses of any nature, including, but not limited to, lost profits, punitive or consequential damages. Neither GVA Travel Solutions nor its affiliates, information providers or content providers warrant or guarantee the timeliness, sequence, accuracy or completeness of this information. Additionally, there are no warranties as to the results obtained from the use of the information.

GVA Travel Solutions does not take any responsibility of photos and documentation provided by our partners and affiliations abroad, who might supply such material to other businesses of similar nature as well. If anyone has any objection to any part of the site, will write to us formally, for us to take appropriate action.

GVA Travel Solutions does not take any responsibility of any third party links from our site and will not be held responsible for content or service provided on those sites.

Legal Binding:

These Terms set out by GVA Travel Solutions shall be legally binding upon you, your family, heirs, administrators, executors and legal representatives. In accepting this document & by applying for our programs, you are not relying upon any oral or written representations or statements made by us other than what is set forth in these Terms.

Governing Law:

GVA Travel Solutions will only deal with any disputes or charges in Uganda and is governed by Ugandan Law. All copyright issues including others will only be dealt in Ugandan court of Law. All disputes and cases will be solved in Kampala, Uganda only.